Foals, Weanlings, Yearlings and MORE!

I just responded on an equine bulletin board to someone who has raised a foal to a 3 year old. The 3 year old is now dangerous ... kicking and attacking horses AND humans. My response was, brutely, she should find a person well versed in Equine Perception Modification through Positive Reinforcement, GIVE the horse to that person and get an older, been-there-done-that horse with whom she can work and play safely. It is, sadly, a case that is all too common: a horse owner decides to either breed his or her mare for the "cute baby" or obtain a foal/weanling/yearling to raise without the knowledge and wisdom of teaching that foal proper, foundational manners and groundwork. Unfortunately, that person has NO idea that its NOT ABOUT THE HORSE! A horse always knows how to be a horse. One of the greatest learning experiences for 2 year olds is within an established herd of older horses. The youngster will learn more in a year from those horses than any human could ever teach him. However, that being said, I know that its not always possible to turn a 2 year old back out to a herd or, raise a foal within a herd setting. Given that, its up to the HUMAN to TEACH that youngster proper equine etiquette ... ESPECIALLY when around humans. That youngster should learn that every human with whom it comes in contact is higher ranking than he is and deserves r-e-s-p-e-c-t. (Kind of like raising human kids and teaching them respect for their elders!) Unfortunately, in my 40+ some odd years of working and playing with all breeds, disciplines, ages, colors and from all backgrounds, including Mustangs and PMU rescues, I've not found too many humans who know how to TEACH horses - of any age. There are plenty of "trainers" - those who drill behaviors over and over and over again using punishment as a prime motivator for the horse. The horses ultimately end up being those who "check out" mentally and then, sometimes, when put into a situation with a human who exhibits behaviors that are lower ranking than the horse, the horse then comes back into its mind with a vegeance. Not a good, safe, situation at all. Not fair to the horse; not fair to the human.

Please, if you have thoughts of raising a foal or breeding your mare to get a cute, little, fluffy, dahling foal ... search YOURSELF first and see if YOU'RE willing to learn and change *your* thinking. Learn how horses behave, why they behave the way they do and RESPECT the horses' ways. One can't change the horse to thinking like a human but one CAN change ones self to think like a horse! Something to start thinking on ... "You get what you reward."